Poet Minamoto no Shigeyuki from page 17A of the printed book of "Thirty-Six Immortal Poets" (SanjÅ«rokkasen), Kōetsu edition c. 1610

Editor: Here we have a page from Hon'ami Kōetsu's "Thirty-Six Immortal Poets," depicting the Poet Minamoto no Shigeyuki. It’s fascinating how the printed page almost elevates calligraphy to a mass-produced art form. What are your thoughts on this? Curator: Consider the social context. Printing allowed wider access to art previously reserved for the elite. Kōetsu's calligraphy, now reproducible, becomes a commodity, blurring the lines between high art and craft. How does the mechanization of this art affect its perceived value, do you think? Editor: That’s a really interesting point, I hadn’t considered the impact of mass production in this way. I guess it democratizes art while simultaneously changing its status. Thanks for sharing your insight.